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No Durant. No Problem

Kevin Durant informed Team USA officials that he will withdraw from world cup play later this summer. This comes in the mist of Indiana Pacers star Paul George severe leg injury.

Kevin Durant has cited fatigue as the reason he will not participate and now Team USA has a bigger void to fill with Durant’s absence. Many figure Dallas Maverick Forward Chandler Parsons will be the starting small forward when Team USA finally enters competition. But let’s be for real– Chandler Parsons is no Kevin Durant and if Parsons jump shot isn’t falling then he is basically useless for Team USA.

Because of Durant absence I believe the unquestioned leader of this team is Bulls superstar Derrick Rose. All eyes have shifted and D-Rose now has to be the focal point of the offense in crunch time, a role he should do well in.

Team USA now has a big three that consist of Derrick Rose, sweet shooting Stephen Curry, and Houston Rockets superstar James Harden. I worry how effective Curry and Harden will be for Team USA if their three-point shot isn’t falling.

Maybe Coach K switches Curry to point guard and have him be effective passing and setting up teammates for easy baskets. Then he informs Harden to lay off hoisting threes and drive to the basket where I believe James Harden is most effective.

Either way it goes Team USA in my eyes still should be the favorite to win gold. They might not have Kevin Durant anymore but they still have more than enough talent to win.

I think the key word for Coach K and this team will be ” CHEMISTRY” if Team USA forms this with the little time they have left in training camp. I believe they will seize that World Cup Championship.

It may not be as easy as it was before, but these group of guys remaining will bond even closer and take great satisfaction in what they want to accomplish in Kevin Durant’s absence.